The melting conditions are taking their toll on outdoor rinks in Steinbach and area.

Jason Peters with Steinbach Parks and Recreation says as of Friday at 2 pm the hockey rink outside the arena is closed. And Peters says it could be closed for a number of days.

(Steinbach rink Friday morning)"We'll reopen once the ground freezes a little more and we can repair the ice," says Peters.

Over in the Rural Municipality of Hanover, Manager for Recreation and Community Services Lisa Baldwin says their rinks are holding up well. She notes in Kleefeld there is a thick base and so it will take a lot to jeopardize that ice. Over in Mitchell, as long as there isn't an extended period of +5 degrees or sunshine, Baldwin says the ice there should also be able to handle these temperatures. However, the Blumenort outdoor ice surface may need to close temporarily if this warm spell continues.

As for snowmobile trails in the region, Dave Boutang President of South East Sno-Riders says trails are holding up fairly well. But he guesses by the end of the weekend they will be chopped up.

"It's not a big problem," says Boutang. "We will fix them as soon as it gets cool again and we'll be back in business."

Boutang says more snow would certainly help right now. He says they can work with what is there, as long as the trails don't turn to ice.

"There's a few areas where you have to be careful," he notes. "Every time we see ice, we mark them with caution signs, giving sledders warning. But it changes on a daily basis."

Further to that, he says high winds last week knocked some trees down, which had to be cleaned up.

According to Boutang, their entire network of trails is open except for about 15 to 20 kilometres of trail south of Steinbach.

Environment Canada is calling for the temperature to stay above freezing all weekend in Steinbach.

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